Goalie Henrik Lundqvist will lead the New York Rangers to the best record in the Eastern Conference but not necessarily the Stanley Cup. / Seth Wenig, AP

by Kevin Allen, USA TODAY Sports

by Kevin Allen, USA TODAY Sports

USA TODAY Sports columnist Kevin Allen sizes up the Atlantic Division. Teams are listed in order of projected division finish and rankings are based on conference finish. The top eight teams make the playoffs.

NO. 1 NEW YORK RANGERS

2011-12 results: 51-24-7

Story line: Rick Nash should make the Rangers offense more dangerous.

Analysis: Nash's arrival gives New York better mathematics going into the season. With him in the lineup, the Rangers have a better chance to score three goals a game. With Henrik Lundqvist in net and a stingy defense led by Dan Girardi and Ryan McDonagh in front of him, they will give up about two goals a game. That adds up to plenty of wins. It's significant that the Rangers didn't have to part with any of their key defensemen to land Nash. With Marc Staal, Michael Del Zotto and Anton Stralman back, the defense will be sound and efficient. That unit seems to block as many shots as Lundqvist saves. Up front, the Rangers have two potential full-season, 40-goal scorers in Nash and Marian Gaborik. The Rangers could put together two highly skilled lines with those two plus Brad Richards, Derek Stepan, Ryan Callahan, Chris Kreider and/or Carl Hagelin. Kreider, 21, is going to score 40 goals someday. He could score at a 15- to 20-goal full-season pace this season. But what fuels this team is passionate coach John Tortorella. He seems to extract the highest levels of effort every night.

Forecast: The Rangers should rule in the East in the regular season, because King Henrik knows better than anyone else how to safeguard the castle.

NO. 4 PITTSBURGH PENGUINS

2011-12 record: 51-25-6

Story line: Healthy Sidney Crosby means the Penguins stay on top.

Analysis: When your roster starts with Crosby and Evgeni Malkin at center, you're miles ahead of the competition. Those two are capable of averaging 1.5 points a game when healthy and thriving. Crosby is over his concussion issues, and reigning MVP Malkin dominated in the Kontinental Hockey League. Though the Penguins felt they were forced to trade Jordan Staal, it's not a disaster. By getting Brandon Sutter in return, they have a top two-way center. Plus, would anyone be shocked if Sutter one day develops into a 25-goal scorer? The Penguins could use another premium winger, but with James Neal and Chris Kunitz playing at a high level, there is less concern. Matt Cooke's 19-goal season also helped. There is concern about the team's defensive play. Kris Letang is a Norris Trophy-caliber defenseman, and Brooks Orpik is a shutdown defenseman. The Penguins seem deep in bodies but could use another blue-chip defenseman for the second pairing. Paul Martin hasn't performed as hoped. But make no mistake: This team will contend for top honors in the East and could go further if it avoids the type of first-round collapse it had last season against the Philadelphia Flyers, when it came unglued and was exposed defensively. They allowed the Flyers to draw them into that kind of game. Coach Dan Bylsma will address those issues this season.

Forecast: The Penguins could lose the division race but they'll win the Stanley Cup.

NO. 5 PHILADELPHIA FLYERS

2011-12 record: 47-26-9

Story line: The Flyers will remain among the NHL's top offensive teams.

Analysis: Fans in Philadelphia love to measure their Flyers against the hated New York Rangers, and they lost ground in the offseason. While the Rangers added Nash, the Flyers didn't land a prime free agent. To make matters worse, their defensive depth will be tested because of injuries to Andrej Meszaros (heel), who is iffy for the opener, and Chris Pronger, who remains out with concussion woes. That's why they signed Kurtis Foster as camps opened. The Flyers remain among the best offensive teams in the East. Some younger players, including MVP candidate Claude Giroux, who still have their best seasons ahead of them. Look for Brayden Schenn to increase his scoring output, especially if he's the replacement for departed Jaromir Jagr on the top line with Giroux and Scott Hartnell. Peter Laviolette's up-tempo coaching style is perfect for the team. The Flyers seem to be able to feed off their own energy. But the true key is goalie Ilya Bryzgalov, whom they acquired last season to be the kind of consistent goalie they have lacked since Ron Hextall. He was sharp in some outings and lost in the woods in others. The Flyers still aren't sure what they have, and they will have him for eight more seasons.

Forecast: Are you up for another Philadelphia vs. Pittsburgh first-round matchup? It could easily happen again this season.

NO. 10 NEW JERSEY DEVILS

2011-12 record: 48-28-6

Story line: General manager Lou Lamoriello will have a difficult time replacing Zach Parise.

Analysis: Lamoriello has an uncanny ability to understand his team's strengths and weaknesses and make the right moves to improve it. Trying to replace Parise will be one of his biggest challenges. The cupboard isn't bare. Ilya Kovalchuk remains among the league's most dynamic scorers, and Patrik Elias has never received enough attention for his ability. He has been a consistent scorer for more than a decade, and he will have more than 400 goals when his career is over. Adam Henrique, rehabbing from thumb surgery, was among the most exciting rookies last season. David Clarkson surprised everyone by scoring 30 goals last season. Travis Zajac does his share offensively. But Parise was the captain and scored 30 or more goals in his past five full seasons. He was the team's go-to guy, not Kovalchuk. How the team reacts to Parise's absence will be a crucial aspect of the Devils' season. New Jersey lacks stars on defense, but that didn't seem to matter in the playoffs. Bryce Salvador probably played as well as any other defenseman did in the postseason. Goalie Martin Brodeur proved that he could still get the job done at age 40.

Forecast: It's foolhardy to underestimate Lamoriello, but the Devils will have to fight to make the postseason. New Jersey is a bubble team, and the bubble might burst unless Lou pulls another rabbit out of his hat.

NO. 14 NEW YORK ISLANDERS

2011-12 record: 34-37-11

Story line: The Islanders are trying to make the playoffs for the first time since 2007.

Analysis:

Since John Tavares arrived in 2009-10, the Islanders have seemed primed to make significant progress toward becoming contenders. But it hasn't happened. Even with P.A. Parenteau's offensive touch relocated to Denver, the Islanders have six players with full-season, 20-goal potential in Tavares, Kyle Okposo, Matt Moulson, Frans Nielsen, Josh Bailey and Michael Grabner, and now they have a wild card in newcomer Brad Boyes. Blue-chip prospect Ryan Strome, invited to training camp, has 62 points in 32 Ontario Hockey League games this season and played well for Team Canada in the world junior championships. The X factor will be the Islanders' defensive play. If captain Mark Streit, 35, has a strong season and offseason acquisition Lubomir Visnovsky returns from Slovakia to add more offensive punch, the Islanders could be among the five or six teams fighting for the eighth playoff spot.

Forecast: The Islanders quietly have put together a decent collection of young players. One day, we will wake up and they will be a power. Maybe that will happen by the time they move into Brooklyn's Barclays Center in 2015-16. But it won't happen this season.